Month: February 2011

I recently stumbled across a marketing blog that was titled “How selflessness can help your business”. (Here’s the link to check it out for yourself http://ittybiz.com/how-selflessness-can-help-your-business/)It caught my attention right away, mainly because I think Johnny Truant makes an excellent point here.

Reading this blog reminded me of the idea of ‘sustainable competitive advantage’, the notion that in order to succeed, a company or a business must have one thing/ some thing they can offer customers, that they can sustain for a long time. This article is not necessarily talking about “good customer service” or “good reliable supply chain” per se, but it’s more leaning towards the idea of giving back, focusing on the you and not the me for once, even along the lines of  helping charities and being a good guy/gal etc.

Like Johnny Truant mentions, it doesn’t take much to help out a charity, volunteer and help out under privileged  children, donate a percentage of your proceeds– if not, you can even offer a few free products or services to consumers.

Why may this work?

Given our options in this world currently, I as a consumer, would so much rather shop with someone who GENUINELY *important factor here, or else you’d be called a “transparent asswipe” according to Johnny* wants to help out, wherether that may be his favorite charity, or hospital or a third world country. Selfless actions do come through, and that could easily be made into a “sustainable competitive advantage” for ones business.

There is one thing that hasn’t been mentioned in this blog though that I find very important:

Selfless acts will not necessarily increase your sales if the service or product you are trying to sell is way overpriced than your competitions, given that they are substitutes for one another.  As a consumer, I would rather pay less and donate to someone/somewhere myself than paying times and a half more and have you donate 10% of that.  Also, the product or service will have to be able to be “equal” or subsitutes in consumers’ eyes.  If I am looking for nice brand name jeans, I will unfortunately not settle for Costco jeans, even though you may volunteer in your spare time.

Whats one of the largest corporate inspired “holidays” coming up?!?! SINGLES APPRECIATION DAY (SAD day) aka VALENTINES DAY <3 !!

Recently, I just noticed how strong and well marketed this day actually is.

Let me explain:

I work at the UBC bookstore, and we’ve had our valentines day display up and going for a good 3-4 weeks now, and its STILL not valentines day. (T-7 for those lovers out there!)

I’ve walked into london drugs and shoppers last month to get a new tooth brush, and the teddy bears, hearts and chocolates were already flooding the damn shop floor everywhere!

If you go on the MM’s website (http://www.mymms.com/) you can actually customize your own MM’s with little clip arts, messages and even pictures! They then charge you a ridiculous fee for shipping, make you buy a certain amount and then ship it to you well before this lovely day actually arrives. My friend got her shipment a good 5 weeks ago.

Popular “romantic” restaurants such as Cloud 9 or the revolving restaurants even have their “Valentines special menu”, which is really just a bunch of stuff from their regular menu, but with the price way hiked up and a complimentary.. rose? for the lady. Some of these restaurants are even all booked up for the night already!

What about the single ladies and gentlemen?

SPEED DATING is (perhaps) the answer for you! http://www.visitvancouver.bc.ca/speed-dating-in-vancouver.html. Even speed dating clubs have prepared for this day and are probably thriving off of the idea that not everyone in this world has a significant other to spend this day with. Their Valentines speed dating event has also been planned well in advanced!

Lets say, you just dont want to go speed dating, but you dont have someone to spend it with either? The idea of valentines day is just so depressing that you are willing to group up with a bunch of your single friends and spend a night out with lots of food and even more drinks!

Either way, its a win win for restaurants, coorporations, flower shops etc that day.

Well played Valentines day, well played…

At times I think some companies overestimate the leniency the public has for certain types of advertisements and in a way, “cross the line”. Or maybe the just like to stand out in their own way, knowing that this will trigger a reaction from the consumers? Maybe this is their strategy to be recognized and to be remembered.. Whatever it is that may be going through their mind, they certainly evoked a reaction in certain consumers. If the reaction was a positive or a negative one.. may be another story..

In this particular instance, I am talking about the countless provocative advertisements created for American Apparel. At first glance, consumers might think of an upcoming adult film when looking at their ad but when it turns out that it actually is for the popular clothing company, consumers are more than outraged.

Is this kind of advertisement effective though?

Of course, particularly in our society nowadays, sex sells. These ads definitely without a doubt, would not be overlooked by a passerby. They are eye catching, but for the wrong reasons. At the same time, the clothing article is definitely the last thing that comes to ones attention. Also, is it really worth it to provoke the public and lose business by having consumers boycott your company because of your advertisements?

A picture says 1000 words, but are they the right 1000 words?